Financial Aid Programs for Graduate Students
Federal aid for graduate students includes Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans and the TEACH grant . New York State provides the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for eligible graduate students who are New York State residents.
Federal aid is awarded directly through the Office of Financial Aid in accordance with requirements established by federal law. Federal aid requires a separate application, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who apply early for federal aid, are considered for Federal Work-Study positions and/or Federal Perkins Loans for the upcoming academic year. Students interested in Federal Direct Loans may apply by submitting a loan application in addition to filing a FAFSA. First-time borrowers must attend a personal pre-loan interview before the loan is disbursed. TAP is awarded directly by New York State. Students apply for TAP by first filing the FAFSA and then completing the follow-up application for the New York State program.
Institutional Aid
Institutional aid is based on a combination of need and merit. This may include: scholarships, fellowships, grants, assistantships, etc. The funding for institutional aid comes from the institution. In order to find out more about the institutional aid offered at each college, please contact the college(s) Graduate Admissions Office.
Federal Work-Study Program
Work-study offers students the opportunity to earn money on campus or at a public or private non-profit organization. This money may be used to help pay for educational expenses.
To be eligible, students must demonstrate financial need, must be attending college at least half-time (6 credits per semester), must be enrolled in degree-granting programs, and must be either a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
Students use the FAFSA as the application form to determine eligibility for the Federal Work-Study program.
Counseling Assistant Program (CUNYCAP) - CUNY program
The CUNYCAP Program offers its participants 6 credits of CUNY graduate tuition assistance per semester plus 600 hours of work per academic year (at $10.00 per hour). CUNYCAP participants can choose placements from a variety of college and high school settings. Students, who fail to complete the minimum work obligation of 15 hours per week or 225-hour minimum per semester, have their tuition waivers canceled and become responsible for the full amount of tuition. Any student, who has received a bachelor's degree from a CUNY college and is enrolled in or accepted into a CUNY graduate program of study, is eligible for participation in the Program. For information regarding CUNYCAP, contact Dishunta Meredith at 212 290-5710 at the CUNY central financial aid office.
